


The Snow in Summer

by bennijie



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Angst, Cole (Dragon Age) is a Good Friend, Cursed, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Helpful Cole (Dragon Age), Mute OC, cole gets a best friend
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-16
Updated: 2019-08-21
Packaged: 2020-01-06 15:06:28
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 4,385
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18390842
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bennijie/pseuds/bennijie
Summary: he didn't talk, he didn't say a word. He didn't need to, this new stranger became a friendly face to those suffering within the first day he was there.-i wanted to try something,,,,





	1. Wild Winds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the dread wolf, and the pack watches.

The snow reached up to his boots.

In the distances, was the howl of a pack of wolves, whether they were corrupted from recent events in the past, the young elf couldn’t tell. He just had to keep his blood circulating and find shelter at the nearest tavern from here.

But the wild winds of the cold snowstorm kept him slow and fighting against the wind the ice skimming past his face like blades on skin and the tips of his ears cold to the touch. He had to squint and hold the lantern close to his face as he dug his long stick into the ground to push him forward. The howls got closer and paused to look at the tree line of the mountain. His cloak that hung over his shoulders flapped wildly with the wind.

4 low figures stood on the tree on, staring. The wolves were planning to attack.

He stared back, long and hard with a merciless glare, they walked along the tree line and was unsure about stepping over it. The young elf boy stabs his staff into the ground and goes to draw his bow with a glare. The wolves snarl over the wind, the sound barely reaching his ears.

He draws the arrow back further.

He stared into the eyes of the wolf. If he were to fire, the arrow would not have enough power to even reach the creature and would be instantly carried away with the wind. That would leave him entirely open and limited to a knife.

A few long moments later, the wolves turned around and walked away. With a relieved sigh, he places the arrow back in the quiver and turns around.

Someone else is here with him. A stumbling figure within the storm’s haze the young elf stood still as his cloak and hair flicked with the wind.

It was only when the figure stumbled, that he rushed over to the person’s aid. It was only when the light of his lantern casted shadows upon the two of them as it nestled in the snow that he truly did realise that this person was in trouble.

It was a woman, older than him and an elf. She clearly didn’t look like she belonged in the snow and her hand, her hand emitted something green from it that glowed softly in the snow as he knelt before her on his hands and knees. He took her face him his hand and tilted her face to him. Her skin was cold to the touch and her light blonde hair had more colour than her face.

He could hear her softly sigh under her touch. She looked confused about what was happening, and her eyes looked scared. He wished to comfort her, instead he took off his cloak and wrapped it around her before sweeping her onto his back and draping the cloak on her over the two of them and holding it tightly to keep them warm. He knelt down in the snow to grab the lantern and staff and looped one hand under her, she held tightly and snuggled into the warmth of his neck.

“Thank you” she whispered, soft against his ear.

A blush tinted his cheeks and he kept walking.


	2. The Raven, The Dragon and The Lion

The wicked cold winds that flowed through them lead him to a canyon, past a one lit camp site between jagged rocks and boulders that stuck up from the ground. The whistle of the wind between the canyon sides were reminiscent of the cries of a wolf and the young elf shook off the feeling of being followed by the same wolves.

It took one more step into the snow for him to freeze up entirely.

Below them in the valley were strings of lights, a camp site. A shiver crept up his spine as he swallowed the unwanted feeling of danger in his chest.

“There she is!”

“Thank the maker!”

The boy froze, as a small gathering of people came rushing towards the two of them. His fight of flight instincts kick in and from his belt on his hip he drew a knife and held it threateningly, the lantern dropping in the snow as he took a step back.

He snarled like a wolf, being protective of their young.

3 of them grew their weapons back.

The light from his lantern as their own gave a good read on their faces. Two soldiers, unidentifiable by the helmets masking their face, a raven, a dragon and a lion.

The lion took a step forward.

“We’re not going to hurt you” he says, “We’re her friends, please”

“We do not have time for this” says the dragon, fierce as one should be, the young elf takes a step back and snarls again.

The woman on his back stirs against his neck, he could feel her eyelashes flutter open and closed, she mumbles something that he understood in spirit and sheaths his knife and steps towards the lion.

Without another word, the lion takes the woman from his shoulders, making sure to keep her wrapped in the cloak for warmth and leads them down the mountain side.

Although exhausted, he rushed down the mountain side with him, fighting the cold against his cheeks as he followed them closely through the snow, around a few trees and into their makeshift home. He heard soft moans and cries of those injured as he passed in a fast walk.

An hour at most passes, he lingers near the woman’s tent keeping an eye out as someone who gives off a wise energy with the clothes of someone who belongs with the chantry, stayed by her side and mended any wounds.

His cloak had returned to him, now draped over his shoulders and hood over his head as he looked around. It didn’t take long after before the dragon found him again, to ask questions.

“How did you find her?”

He said nothing, he couldn’t.

“Are you with Corypheus? A spy sent to watch us?”

“Seeker, I think that’s enough”

A new voice, one of many stories appeared from behind her. He folded his arms as she turned around to look down at him. The young elf straightened up.

“What do you want Varric?”

“Nothing” he smirks “But, cut the kid some slack, he’s clearly warn out from carrying her here to us. Maybe you should be thanking him and not interrogating him”

The dragon huffed, Varric seemed satisfied.

“I apologise” She turns to the young elf “Thank you for bringing the inquisitor back to us”

Ah, that made a lot more sense. He nodded as a way of thanks, and the dragon walked away.

“I’m sorry about her” he says, clearly tired. “We’re all a bit stressed out about what happened at Haven”

He pretended to understand.


	3. Eyes Like Snow

There was suspicion from the beginning.

After the attack on Haven, when the inquisitor briefly went missing after the fierce battle, those who survived made camp in the snow a fair way away from the devastation that had traumatised those who joined the inquisition. There was fear that the inquisitor didn’t survive the avalanche and had perished in the cold underneath he snow like all the others who didn’t make it.

There was a small attempt at a search party in the surrounding area towards Haven. Cullen, Leliana and Cassandra lead 3 separate parties on the first day with no luck with no luck as well the second day. With hope running thin, they decided one last search.

They found the inquisitor, hanging off the back of an elf who appeared out of nowhere, whose hair was the opposite of the land they walked on and eyes of the snow they stood on, just slightly darker, more of a thundercloud grey.

He didn’t say hello or even remotely greet them as he mutely handed the sleeping woman to Commander Cullen without a word and followed them back under the watchful eye of Cassandra, who was interrogating him mercilessly.

Again, no words were spoken.

When he was asked where he found her, he merely pointed back where he came from with a far off look in his eye.

It was by then that they suspected that the elf had grown up in the wilds. Maybe he had gotten separated from his group at a young age? Slavery may have forced him to not speak. They were many theories about his appearance. Where he came from and how he got that scar across his eye.

He mainly did his own thing, helping the injured and keeping them company until they were gone. When they were moving to Skyhold, he helped scout ahead and hunt for food for the group which he was apparently, really good at. He knew where to find it and track foot prints in the snow, those who were inexperienced, became experienced under his silent tutoring.

It wasn’t until they reached Skyhold that Varric decided that he needed a nickname, having earned a name for himself within no time at all.

“What do you think of Snow?” he asks the male beside him as they enter Skyhold for the first time. The kid hadn’t really talked to each other before, they mainly shared quiet meals with other people and if not, it was on his own.

He shrugs.

“Well we found you in the snow, and your eyes.”

He stares blankly.

“Snow it is then”

 


	4. The Roar of a Man

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> cole digs a little too deep, but that's okay because we love cole.
> 
> this is just kinda turning into one shots with my oc, which is okay because i need to get out of this writing block lmao

“He was unnerved by the sudden roar of a man called a beast as his hand flew across his face, aching, stinging pain that reminded him of the time he pricked his finger while sewing his shirt as a young boy.”

Snow’s eyes greeted the friendly spirit out the corner of his eye as he continued to look at the flowers in the garden. Cole was frequently seen around the elf as of late keeping him company. Unlike most people at Skyhold, Snow didn’t seem to care about the fact someone was delving into his mind and finding his more sacred thoughts.

“He did not fight back against the man, no one would ever dare fight back against the mage”

Sometimes he wished Cole didn’t delve too deep.

“I’m sorry” he apologises.

Snow smiles at him and gives him a thumbs up, grabbing a stick and pushing it into the dirt, swirling it around and creating patterns. A few moments later and he dusts it all away to a smooth surface and writes.

_‘how have you been?’_

“I have been good” Cole replies happily “You’re not like other people here, some people don’t ask me that, others don’t want to. Weird boy who doesn’t belong, demon and abomination.”

 _‘you’re not a demon’_ Snow writes in the dirt _‘You’re Cole’_

“I know” Cole replies. “Are you blind? Your eyes aren’t real, they’re not your real colour, you don’t remember the colour.”

Snow shakes his head and does jazz hands.

“Was it an explosion?” Cole asks his head slightly tilting.

Snow shakes his head and repeats the action with more grace to it.

“Magic?”

He nods.

“Oh, that’s a shame. I’m not sure if I can help with that, I don’t know how to change the colour of a person’s eyes. Maybe Solas can, he knows a lot about magic.”

Snow shakes his head sadly and continues playing in the dirt.

“Can no one help?”

Snow rubs out the dirt words.

_‘It’s not the kind of hurt that can heal properly’_

“He yelled at him, furious and angry with his actions” says Cole “Why was he yelling? He was not a good person”

Snow had had enough, he drew an X in the dirt, got up and walked away.


	5. Sera And The Only Elf She Likes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> sera and snow.... in the....snow,,,

The sound of an arrow pierces the air from high above, landing itself into the eye socket of a goat, it fell to the ground lifelessly in the snow.

“Bloody hell that was a good shot”

Like it or not, Sera became Snow’s hunting buddy for the day. She had gotten bored of pulling pranks and causing mayhem around Skyhold, with nothing to do except join a small hunting party, she teamed up with the elf in search for food. She carried the sled tied to rope so then they could carry all the pelts and skins back, while he took the shots from his bow. So far, they’d gotten some rabbits that had been hiding in the burrows for warmth.

“Remind me not to get on your bad side” she playfully nudges him, and he rolls his eyes in response, slinging the bow over his shoulder and making his way over to the goat.

“So, we just cut it open and take it yeah?” she asks following the boy smaller than her, he nods “Can’t be too hard, just a stab and slash right?”

Snow shrugs and takes the arrow from its eye, Sera notices how he lays his eyes on it for a second, the look lingering before he softly shuts the animal’s eyes on both sides of the head.

“That’s not an elf thing right? Please tell me you’re not one of those dumb elfy elves like Solas, I was just starting to like you.”

Snow shakes his head as he turns the goat onto its back, standing above the carcass, he raises his knife above his head stabs the into goat’s chest and cuts down the centre.

“Ewwww” Sera complains and takes a step back “No thank you, you can do that yourself”

Snow didn’t look at her, she didn’t look at the goat as it was skinned and gutted.

Sera noticed that he didn’t hesitate to do things or get the job done, which was nice to meet someone as likeminded as him with a likeness for shooting things with arrows, he didn’t show any remorse other than respect for the animal as he hunted it down quickly and gutting it so they could return back home.

“Oi, Snowy” Sera treads in the snow from beside him, her bow as draw this time with an arrow between her finger tips. “Dumb question because you can't answer, why don’t you talk? Don’t trust us or something? Did someone cut your tongue out?”

Snow raises an eyebrow at the last question and as if he was being examined by a doctor, he opens his mouth and sticks out his tongue. No noise came out. Sera's theory of no tongue was denied, it was her favourite theory as well, she'd love to hear the story behind that.

“That's too bad. Born that way then?” she asks

He shakes his head and adjusts the rope on his shoulder, pulling down tighter.

“Soooo” she drags out “Why don’t ya talk then?”

He does the same thing he shows everyone, the magic hands. Unlike most people, Sera gets it right away.

“Magic?” she asks “Never heard of a mage casting a spell like that before, don’t worry, I’ll shoot an arrow between that bugger’s eyes for ya. That’ll make you talk”

Snow lets out a puff through his nose in amusement, a small smile on his face.


	6. Unspoken Words

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> dorian and cole

They learnt his name… Morgan.

Cole spread it to everyone through the Iron Bull at the tavern when they were listening to Maryden, when Bull asked who Morgan was, Cole politely told him it was Snow and thus, it was spread throughout Skyhold fairly quickly.

To quote Varric _‘It was the least elvish name he’s heard’_ , Solas silently agreed with the dwarf. Since they found him in the mountains, he expected the boy to have a dalish name.

Sera was happy about that, gave her another reason not to hate him as much as the other elves she’s met.

Cole wondered what it meant, Morgan. He thought it was an odd name, it was just a name after all, and Snow was just a nickname. He knew the meaning of the first one, but the second one was a mystery to him. He figured Dorian would know, and he did.

“Born of the Sea” Dorian says looking up from his book he was reading “I’m surprised it’s such a human name”

“He was from Tevinter” Cole says “He can’t remember his real name”

Dorian perked up, hearing the mention of his homeland worried him a little and he wanted to know more, “What do you mean real name?” he asks, sitting up straight in his chair, shutting the book without a bookmark inside it.

“Oh no” Cole whispers “He doesn’t like it when I talk about Tevinter. Work hard, always work hard, never stop. I’m sorry, plea-“

“-Cole it’s okay” says Dorian cutting him off quickly and calmly “I won’t tell him that you told me. If you don't mind, i would like to remember this information”

Cole goes quiet for a second. “You do?” he asks “He cares about his heritage, but he doesn’t know what it means, Morgan. He didn’t know the meaning of his name”

Dorian’s eyes soften. It wasn’t that hard to believe. "Thank you for telling me Cole, even if it was an accident"

"You're worried" Cole says

"I am"

"But Morgan is okay now, he's happy here"

"That's not what i'm worried about"

 

 


	7. Manifest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> these are all really short im sorry

When Solas said that Morgan was reading upstairs, he thought he was kidding, according to what he knew, the young boy couldn't read or let alone write proper English. So, he was surprised when Solas wasn't kidding, when Morgan was slumped over a book, concentrating hard and mouthing the words to himself, making no noise except the flick of a page. Dorian stared for a little bit, before Morgan's concentration turned to frustration as he was staring at the page, he was so into what word he was trying to pronounce that he didn’t even notice the man walk up beside him. Dorian didn't really hesitate to say what word he was stuck on and said it for him.

“ _Manifest_ ” he says from beside him. It was the first word of the page.

The poor boy almost fell off his seat from surprise.

“Sorry” Dorian quickly apologises “Didn’t mean to startle you, Morgan”

He sighs and shrugs.

“Reading a book on elven magic?” asks Dorian “Solas give it to you?”

He only asked because of the interest Solas had in the boy. Morgan shakes his head, for the first time Dorian got to have a good look at the scars on his face. He only noticed it until now, but it was a detail he didn’t like knowing. It was a claw mark running down his right eye to just above his cheek. Dorian hid his discomfort.

“If you have any trouble on the words, feel free to tell me”

Morgan nods with a slight smile on his face and opens the book back up to continue reading.


	8. The Winter Palace

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> i try to just like, bust these out between my classes

Why was he even here?

Ah right, the Inquisitor Lavellan thought it would be a good idea to have him outside murdering demons and socialise with others. But the Winter Palace of all places to go was a mystery to him. Dressed up fancy in uniform to keep an eye out for an assassin. He was glad that Josephine didn’t include him in the introductions, it wasn’t like he was here representing something anyway, he was meant to be the _‘extra set of eyes’_ to keep an eye on things.

So naturally, he sat in the library with Cole most the night on the second floor watching people mingle and surround Cullen.

“The hats are pretty” Cole says “I don’t understand why they don’t just say what they mean, they don’t need a mask”

Morgan shrugs.

“You don’t want to be here, it reminds you of home too much” Cole comments “That’s okay though, because it’s a happy kind of hurt, right? That’s what you told me”

Morgan nods.

The past can hurt, but you can find the beautiful moments in it to make it worth thinking about. Why is so poetic all of a sudden?

Morgan puffs through his nose, to emulate a laugh.

He reaches into his coat and takes out a journal, a gift from Varric. It was kind of him to give the journal to him, it was a spare he had, and he just had it lying around. Morgan takes out a pencil and begins to write something in it and passes it to Cole who reads it out loud.

“What did the ocean say to the other ocean? Oh, it’s a joke!” he smiles and passes it back and Morgan who begins to write down the answer “What did the ocean say to the other ocean?” Nothing, it just waved”

Cole smiles and laughs a little, passing the book back to him.

“Knock knock” Cole says with an excited smile.

Morgan tilts his head.

“Cole”

Silence.

“It’s me! Cole!” he cheers

Morgan laughs, the only sound coming from his mouth was however just breaths and wheezing. To the outside viewer, this was considered weird as anything. To Cole, he knew he was happy, and he knew he helped him smile and laugh.

Morgan doubles over and smiles, giving a thumbs up.

“I didn’t think it was that funny” Cole admits “Varric says I need to improve a bit more, but at least you like it”

Morgan nods and turns back to the party, seeing the inquisitor signal for the two of them with a beckoning wave, with them was Dorian who was also waiting. Morgan gave a thumbs up and the two of them walked together to the lower floor.

-

“Are you two enjoying the party?” asks Lavellan with a smile on his face as he equips his staff on his back.

“Yes” says Cole “I like their hats and Morgan likes all the different colours”

“That’s good to hear” says Dorian “I was wondering if you two were getting bored”

“No”

“We can talk a bit more later.” Lavellan addresses the team “Let’s find who is responsible”

“Finally,” says Bull with a smile “I can kill something”

 


	9. Resting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Morgan lays a child to rest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this one is a bit edgy  
> like, a kid dies.

Morgan laid a child to rest today.

She was only young, maybe 6 or 7 years of age and leg was hurt during the attack on haven by the enemy, they had to amputate it to stop something from spreading. She had no relatives in Skyhold and liked to lay in the sun next to the flowers drawing in the dirt. She was in pain, but she was happy.

The children, although few, liked to follow Morgan around, they called him ‘Snow’ because Varric told them to and would try to take things from under his nose. They liked to play hide and seek with him the most, because unbeknownst to them, he would pretend to not find them and come super close before scaring them into a giggle fit.

This girl was a great seeker, even if she had no leg, and somehow was the best hider out of all of them.

But she had gotten sick and today was the day she’d last be alive.

Morgan did everything he could to make her feel comfortable, he sat in the sun with her head on his lap as the butterflies flew around them in the garden and the smell of the kitchen lingering in the air. He stroked her hair softly, and hummed songs he barely remembered.

Her eyes were shut most of the time, like she was only taking a short nap.

And it was only when the sun set that he knew she was gone.

He hoped that she would meet her family, that they’d reunite by the Maker’s side and cheer in happiness. That she’d get lots of friends and he leg would be back.

Oh he prayed to whoever was out there that her leg was grown back.

And he was strangely at peace.


	10. Selene

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> https://www.instagram.com/p/BwEwjUzAXek/  
> i did a short comic a while back so i made it in written form.

They came across some elves.

Escaped slaves, Bull had said upon looking at them. Some were wounded and wandered into the inquisition’s camp for some medical aid, of course they were happy enough to help. Even when receiving help, the group of 6 elves looked scared as their wounds were being mended.

Dorian noticed a change in Morgan almost immediately, how he wandered to one elf and stuck by the man’s side, how the man’s hand wandered to his face to look at his eyes, running a hand through his hair and sizing him up, shouting him with praise.

A slave.

Morgan was an escaped slave.

Morgan reached into his shirt and pulled out a locket, showing it to the man before writing down a name. The man look at him with sorry eyes.

“I’m sorry son, there is no elf by the name of Selene in our group”

Dorian felt a pang of guilt in his chest, he couldn’t help but feel responsible for it. They said they were from Tevinter, where in Tevinter they didn’t say, or even dare to. They were his people, and they mistreated others so badly that it affected everyone.

“Silently, under the sun’s rays he begged in his mind that she was okay. Please maker, let her be safe and with the others”

Dorian looks down at Cole at the corner of his eye, he stared at Morgan like blank eyes.

“He hadn’t given up hope, ‘run away, so we can both be free’. But she wasn’t here, so how can she be free as well? Please be okay, please be okay, maker not her”

“Cole, I think that’s enough” Dorian says in barely a whisper, it was almost painful for him to ask the boy to stop.

Cole goes quiet for a second, before speaking. “He’s sad, Dorian” he says “although sick, the rays of the sun made her look beautiful. Why isn’t she here with him?”

“I don’t know” Dorian replies, the elves are talking to Morgan about something, he keeps a straight face.

He wish he knew. Who was Selene?

“Grief or anger? I can’t tell, his emotions are like a spiderweb and he’s a butterfly stuck in the centre. I have to help him, but. It’s so confusing, it makes my head spin a little. Why is he so happy, but also so sad? I don’t understand Dorian, I want to understand so I can help”

He thought of home for a moment.

“Give him time, Cole”

 


End file.
